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Shira Chess, who just published her second book, "Ready Player Two: Women Gamers and Designed Identity," is profiled by the University of Georgia (Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski)

Shira Chess: Focus on Faculty

Shira Chess, assistant professor of entertainment and media studies, focuses her research on what a lot of people enjoy in their spare time: video games and digital culture. In her Focus on Faculty interview, Chess talks about her research, teaching and her new book on the subject called “Ready Player Two: Women Gamers and Designed Identity.”

“I love to teach courses that mix theory and practice, particularly when those practices are creative,” Chess said in her profile. “For example, one of my favorite classes is “The Elements of Narrative,” where students learn narrative theory, but then get to play by constructing what I like to think of as storytelling experiments during class.”

Her course work with Turner Entertainment Networks is one of the highlights of her teaching at Grady College. “I have collaborated with Turner Entertainment Networks to create an annual class where students get to pitch projects and concepts to the TV network based on emerging innovations. It is so satisfying seeing students work on a single project over the course of the semester, and then get to show it off to TV executives.”

Tapping into student creativity is the main objective for Chess. “My goal for them is that they will learn to brainstorm and prototype ideas rapidly, and push the edges of their own creative abilities. I want them to go out into the world with the ability to tell amazing stories in complicated ways.”